Strategic opportunities for HardTech and DeepTech innovation in relation to: Strengthening Defence, Economic Growth, Energy Security
Alex Stewart, Bessemer Founder
Bessemer brings together the leaders of HardTech and DeepTech companies at the cutting edge of technology.
The aim of the Summit is to bring these leading technology innovators and business leaders together in time and space with partners and enablers to develop their technologies faster and more securely.
Bessemer Society was created to bring together the most interesting Innovators, Entrepreneurs, and Change-Makers, from start-ups to those with serial exits, sharing their experience to help drive success.
Bessemer’s purpose inconvening this Summit is to show how Deep HardTechis assuming much greater importance due to the shift from globalisation to national security.
The aim of the Summit is both to understand the impact of the new Zeitgeist on Deep HardTech companies and their eco systems and on the investment opportunities.
25
Senior Speakers
70+
HardTech Companies Attending
70
Investors
30
Selected HardTech Exhibitors
40
Enablers/Infrastructure (inc Govt agencies)
250+
of the best HardTech and most relevant investors and enablers in the industry
The Summit’s Plenary Session presents five regional clusters which have the potential to form more powerful groupings around their centres of excellence. Leading representatives of each cluster will explain how this can be achieved in order to create a sustainable upward cycle of growth.
In the morning breakout sessions the theme of National Security will be presented through the prism of the technologies which can contribute most to building better self-reliance in Military Defence (such as critical dual-use technologies), Energy Security (such as renewables and new nuclear) and Economic Resilience (such as automation and AI for greater productivity).
HardTech innovators and a carefully-selected list of investors, larger corporates, suppliers, government officials and industry enablers will be invited.
Companies selected to pitch to investors will also be able to exhibit their technologies in the Exhibition Hall where there are 30 stands available.
Investors with a track record of investing in Deep HardTech as well as those looking for opportunities to invest will be especially welcome.
Larger companies will have numerous opportunities to meet the leaders of companies developing the most advanced technology solutions with which they may wish to partner or invest in.
“Our national security, the wellbeing of our citizens, and the wealth needed for our public services, are all highly dependent on the UK succeeding in HardTech”
PAUL STEIN CBE, CEO, Floral Energy Ltd,former CTO Rolls-Royce, BESSEMER MEMBER
“We built a multi-billion dollar company, from scratch, in the UK, dominating our sector worldwide. With the right people around you this is just as doable today as it was then.”
Glenn Collinson, FOUNDER CSR PLC., BESSEMER MEMBER
“Innovation is the greatest driver of economic growth. The UK now has a unique opportunity to develop and export the technologies to deliver global net zero.”
David Kingham, Tokamak Energy, BESSEMER MEMBER
Main Conference
8:00
Registration & Creative Networking
Headline Speakers
8:00
Registration & Creative Networking
Headline Speakers
8:55
Welcome and Introduction
Headline Plenary Session
9:05
Headline Speakers
Senior Government Minister
Headline plenary speaker – TBA
Defence, Industrial Strategy in a Changing World Order
Leading Government voice and leading industry voice
9:05
Headline Speakers
Senior Government Minister
Headline plenary speaker – TBA
Defence, Industrial Strategy in a Changing World Order
Leading Government voice and leading industry voice
9:30
Empowering Regional Technology Clusters
Sheffield: Specialised steel for defence,nuclear SMRs, wind turbines
South Wales: Sovereign Compound Semiconductor supply chain
Glasgow: Photonics, Satellits, Defence, Engineering materials
Durham: Semiconductors, Space communications, Wind turbines
Bristol: Aerospace, Satellites, New composite materials, Defence
Panel Discussion
8:00
Coffee in the Exhibition Area
11.30
Breakout Rooms
Scale Up of Strategic HardTech assets essential for UK plc Room 1
Onshoring and Productivity: Application of robotics & AI Room 2
Energy Security – Towards energy self-sufficiency and zero carbon Room 3
12.50
Lunch & Exhibition time
14:10
Investor Pitching Session
Deep HardTech Leaders Room 1
ManuTech Innovation Leaders Room 2
Energy HardTech Leaders Room 3
15.15
Coffee in the Exhibition Area
16.00
Founders Pitch to CEOs
17.00
Networking and Drinks
18:00
Close
“Throughout history wealth creation has been driven by the right people joining forces and driving change. We should all study the past and learn from the experience of others to drive success in the present day. Bessemer is a network of depth and quality unlike any other that I’ve come across.”
Steven Lindsey, SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR AND ADVISOR,BESSEMER MEMBER
The Bessemer Spirit: An entrepreneur with an unyielding drive to bring new technology to commercial fruition.
The Bessemer Society has a membership made up of some 150 founders and CEOs of the most innovative Deep HardTech companies in the UK. As the only network and organisation representative of this community, it can bring together leaders in this community with key stakeholders better than anyone else.
Oxeco – surface modification chemistry, Bessemer Member
Microbritt – micro-machining from semiconductors to micro-fluidics, Bessemer Member
Hardware is the carrier for all the strategic services and solutions on which advanced economies and their security rely.
Bessemer brings together the leaders of HardTech and DeepTech companies at the cutting edge of technology. In the changing world order they can have a disproportionate outcome on events helping to secure higher levels of military protection, energy self sufficiency, and increased economic productivity and wealth.
“Bessemer Society is a community that realises that
collaboration can create a bigger prize than doing
it alone.”
SIR ROBIN SAXBY, FOUNDING CEO OF ARM, BESSEMER MEMBER
We are offering the opportunity to sponsor the Bessemer Society’s only 2025 summit.
As well as the obvious benefits of being associated with such an event, sponsors gain tiered access to the membership and associates.
The Society's membership is carefully curated and is a very strong source of experience and knowledge.
New members must be CEO’s or former CEO’s of HardTech / DeepTech companies and so sponsorship is the only way for external organisations to access and benefit from the network.
In a rapidly changing world, those that don’t innovate and instead rely on unchanged, historical business models and products are at risk. Knowledge and experience at such times carries an even higher reward.
Information around potential opportunities can be very valuable in such times.
All sponsors will receive membership andmember networking benefits.
Platinum
Headline Sponsor
Gold
Lead Sponsor of a Breakout Session
Silver
Joint sponsorship of aBreakout Session
Higher levels provide more regular 121 networking and speaking slots at dinners & events for 12-months.
We will be inviting selected journalists to cover the event alongside our own and partner media channels.
For more information or to discuss further contact us.
DEEP HARDTECH RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
